From now until the end of 2023, WMAQ, NBC’s Chicago O&O, will be celebrating its 75th anniversary looking back at the historic moments that helped shape Chicago. “As we celebrate WMAQ-TV’s historic 75th anniversary this month, NBC Chicago will relive numerous stories that occurred over the decades and honor the on-air and behind-the-scenes trailblazers who helped define our legacy,” says Kevin Cross, WMAQ’s GM.
From now until the end of the year, WMAQ, the NBC O&O in Chicago, will be celebrating its 75th anniversary looking back at the historic moments that helped shape the city.
“As we celebrate WMAQ-TV’s historic 75th anniversary this month, NBC Chicago will relive numerous stories that occurred over the decades and honor the on-air and behind-the-scenes trailblazers who helped define our legacy,” says Kevin Cross, WMAQ’s GM.
All this week during NBC 5 NEWS at 10pm, WMAQ is airing segments from its special coverage of the anniversary.
On Friday, Oct. 13, at 11:30 a.m., WMAQ will air Chicago Today: WMAQ-TV 75th Anniversary Entertainment Special, during which WMAQ will relive the station’s most memorable moments covering the entertainment industry.
NBC 5 News at 10 p.m. will feature segments around its 75th Anniversary on Tuesdays through the end of the year.
On Fridays throughout October, 75th Anniversary segments on NBC 5 News at 10pm will focus on the single most memorable story from the decades of the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Viewers will vote to determine which story is chosen.
Throughout October, NBC 5 News Today (Monday-Friday at 4-7 a.m.), will present viewers with a daily 75th Anniversary Chicago trivia question heading into commercial breaks with the answer to the multiple-choice question revealed coming out breaks. Trivia questions will challenge viewers on variety of Chicago history topics ranging from news, sports, entertainment, politics and more.
In addition to traditional cable/satellite viewing options, fans can also view NBC 5 News on the NBC Chicago News streaming channel on Peacock, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Fire TV, Xumo Play, Google Play, Freevee, TCLtv+ and Local Now.
Streaming info is available here. Fans can also watch NBC 5 News on NBCChicago.com and the NBC Chicago app.
Viewers on social media will also be treated to additional 75th Anniversary content throughout the coming weeks via NBC Chicago’s social platforms on Instagram/IG Stories (@nbcchicago), TikTok (@nbcchicago), Facebook (Facebook.com/nbcchicago) and X (@nbcchicago).
WMAQ ‘Firsts’ List
National Achievements:
- First full-time color station in the country
- First TV station to receive and generate network transmission via satellite
- First TV station to broadcast a continuous 8 ½ hour newscast
- First small mobile video tape unit
- First college credit course on a commercial TV station
- First daytime television serial
- First do-it-yourself program
- First boxing match ever staged in a TV studio
- First broadcast of a live, remote, primetime local theatrical production
Local Achievement:
- First televised World Series
- First demonstration of the split-screen technique
- First TV station in stereo
- First electronically-generated graphics
- First investigative unit
- First Black 10pm news anchor
- First female 10pm co-anchor
- First female solo news anchor
- First program offering to a national network (“Kukla, Fran and Ollie”)
- First station with satellite-receive facilities
- First live, local helicopter coverage
- First televised signing of legislation into law by an Illinois governor
- First live broadcast of a surgery
- First computerized election returns
CLICK HERE to go to WMAQ’s 75th Anniversary archive.
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